It’s an exciting time for 3D printer enthusiasts, as one of the world’s largest electronic expo’s has just opened its doors in Las Vegas. The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (or International CES) 2015 kicks off today, and over the next four days will feature more than 3600 exhibitions and welcome more than 150,000 visitors.

And it’s already evident that 3D printing technology will be properly represented, as XYZPrinting has already announced the unveiling of two very interesting printers in Las Vegas: the da Vinci Junior 3D printer (relying on FDM technology) and the long awaited Noble 1.0 SLA 3D printer, that could be key in bringing stereolithography printing technology to the masses.

It’s not that surprising that XYZPrinting is behind these promising and affordable 3D printers, as this Taiwan-based company (owned by the Kinpo Group) has been releasing 3D printers in the sub $500 range since being founded in 2013. The da Vinci Junior seems to be an expected continuation of that policy, though their SLA printer (which is obviously more expensive than $500) seemingly changes everything.

But let’s start with the da Vinci Junior 3D printer, which appears to be a very decent desktop FDM printer in every regard. Its developers have referred to it as the ‘world’s most affordable 3D printer’, and at an entry price of $349, they are definitely in that range. It has been developed with the sole purpose of increasing the availability and accessibility of 3D printing technology across an ever growing range of tinkers, hobbyists and educators.

And this is especially visible in its specifications, as it is a basic Plug-and-Play model requiring no assembly. It will consume a very eco-friendly 75 watts to print something, and features a modest (non heated) print volume of 15 x 15 x 15 cm. It’s layer resolution is projected to be down to 0.1 mm, and can even be operated using easy FFF auto-load cartridges to maximize convenience and safety. Finally, it will feature NFC technology which would make replacing and detecting levels of filament as easy as it can be.

All in all, it’s a promising 3D printer that isn’t revolutionary, but is undoubtedly great for first-time users with limited budgets. It is comparable in price and power to the Printrbot Simple Maker, though that needs to be assembled before use. It’s release date is set for May of this year, so we’ll have to wait and see if it’s worth this price.

Image credit: Dong Ngo/CNET

But experienced printing enthusiasts will only have their eye on the Nobel 1.0 SLA printer, that has been characterized as the world’s SLA machine for private consumers. As it won’t be released until the third quarter of 2015, we won’t know if that is actually true, but it is certainly starting to look like that could be. For one, it’s price is pretty decent. Originally projected to cost less than $2500, it is now set to be marketed at an even lower $1500. In comparison, a Formlabs alternative quickly costs you more than $3000.

Their Nobel 1.0 will supposedly feature a very decent layer resolution of 25 microns; the same as a Form 1+ 3D printer. The machine’s build volume, meanwhile, is also just fine at 5 x 5 x 7.9 inches (128 x 128 x 200 mm). The Nobel will reportedly also feature a resin-filling mechanism, meaning it can provide stable printing without the necessity for constant refills. Finally, XYZPrinting promises that their latest creation will also be a Plug-and-Play machine capable of supporting standard STL files.

XYZPrinting is thus kicking off the 2015 International CES with two very promising printers – one for the beginner, and one for the experienced user. It will be very interesting to see more of both once release dates approach, but as it is both are shaping up to be a hit in the world’s 3D printing community.